December 16th 2024.
Joe Cole, a former Chelsea player, has recently expressed his admiration for the team's current head coach, Enzo Maresca. In fact, he has even declared Maresca as the leading candidate for the prestigious "Manager of the Season" award in the Premier League. This praise comes as no surprise, as Chelsea currently sits in second place in the league, only two points behind the leaders, Liverpool.
It's been an exciting season so far, with many top-flight managers impressing with their teams' performances. Arne Slot, in his debut season with Liverpool, has led the team to the top of the table. Nuno Espirito Santo and Andoni Iraola have also caught the eye with their excellent work at Nottingham Forest and AFC Bournemouth, respectively. Both teams have a realistic chance of qualifying for European competitions this season.
However, for Joe Cole, Maresca stands out as the front-runner for the Manager of the Season award. He believes that Maresca's impact on Chelsea has been significant since taking over from Mauricio Pochettino in June. The team has undergone a transformation and is now a genuine contender for the Premier League title.
In a recent interview with TNT Sports after Chelsea's 2-1 victory over Brentford, Cole could not contain his excitement. "It's looking great!" he exclaimed. "I think Enzo Maresca so far [is] Manager of the Season. What he had to contend with at the start. We were talking to him, remember at West Ham, and he was like talking about the 30-odd players he's got and trying to manage the squad."
Despite Chelsea's remarkable run of form, Maresca remains humble and continues to downplay his team's chances of winning the title this season. "No matter how many games we are going to win, I think we're not ready to compete for the title," he said after their win against Brentford, which marked their fifth consecutive Premier League victory.
Maresca went on to explain that there are still areas where the team needs to improve before they can be considered serious contenders for the title. "One of the reasons is I think the team that knows how to compete to win titles will not concede a goal like we concede," he stated. "On 90 minutes, a throw-in for us and we concede a goal. A team that knows how to win titles, that goal they're not going to concede. It's why I continue to say that we are not ready for titles, even if you don't believe me."
Despite Maresca's reservations, Joe Cole and many others are confident that Chelsea, under the guidance of their exceptional coach, can continue to challenge for the Premier League title. And as the season progresses, all eyes will be on Enzo Maresca and his team, eagerly waiting to see if they can achieve greatness and bring home the coveted trophy.
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